A clear countdown
Use a large player display with a title and visible urgency as the deadline approaches.
At the game
Local toolMil-Sci Timer Display
Give the table a clear, GM-controlled decision deadline.
The Mil-Sci Timer is a small local companion for time-sensitive decisions. Put a readable countdown in front of the players while the GM controls the duration and cues. Reaching zero is a prompt for the GM to resolve the situation.
What it helps you do
Useful starting durations
Choose 30 seconds, one minute, three minutes, five minutes, or ten minutes, or enter a custom duration.
GM control during play
Start, pause, resume, add or subtract time, reset, cancel, or finish the countdown manually.
Optional cues
Use sound and supported hardware effects where configured and checked at your table.
A small local setup
Run the GM page and /display in two tabs of the same browser profile.
Getting ready
Open the local GM controller and its /display page in two tabs using the same browser profile and origin. This is the current shared-display arrangement; independent phones or televisions do not automatically synchronise over the network. No account or hosted launch page is required for this local prototype.
Choose a title and duration before starting, then check the actual screen, brightness, motion, and sound in the room. Audio starts muted. The display needs its own Enable TV Audio gesture after reload, and the operating system must select the correct speakers or HDMI output. An optional VTT URL supplies a visual underlay rather than a combat connection.
How to use Mil-Sci Timer Display
Set the decision window
Choose a preset of 30 seconds, 1, 3, 5, or 10 minutes, or enter a custom title and duration in seconds. Applying a new title or duration returns the timer to idle, so finish that setup before the countdown begins. Give the title a clear instruction such as choosing an escape route, and tell the players what reaching zero means in the fiction.
Prepare the player display and effects
Open /display for the full-screen title, numeric countdown, and stage. Add a VTT URL if the destination permits embedding, or use the demo underlay. Select brightness, motion, and the zero effect. To use sound, enable audio on the display, unmute the controller, and use Test Tone at a sensible volume on the actual room output.
Start, pause, and resume
Press Start when the group is ready. Pause preserves the remaining time, and Resume continues from that remainder. Repeated Start during an active countdown does not restart it. The display calculates against the end time so a backgrounded controller tab does not simply stop its clock. Use a pause when a rules question or interruption should suspend the players’ decision window.
Adjust or end the window deliberately
The plus and minus controls change time by 30 seconds: they adjust the target while running, the remainder while paused, or the configured duration when idle. Reset returns to the full configured duration; Cancel ends the run in a cancelled state. Manual zero completes the window immediately with the chosen effect. These actions have different meanings, so choose the one that matches your intention.
Use the zero cue to resume the game
The final ten and five seconds provide closing cues, and zero displays Play Now. The timer overlay then hides after roughly three seconds, leaving the underlying stage visible. Reaching zero tells the group that its decision window has ended; the GM still resolves the fictional action. It does not advance DragonQuest rounds, roll attacks, or decide the outcome.
Handle an uncomfortable effect or a new run
Emergency Stop All Effects silences audio and disables motion while leaving the countdown running. Also Pause or Cancel if you need to stop the clock. Restore Safe Defaults returns conservative settings and clears optional controller configuration. Timer state and preferences persist locally, but rehearse a reload and a fresh run before relying on them at a live table.
A game example
Give the group three minutes to choose a route
For example, title the timer Choose the escape route and set three minutes. Show the map under the countdown, explain the approaching danger, and start when everyone can see the choices. Pause to answer a rules question, then resume with the same remaining time. If the group agrees early, use manual zero to signal that play continues. The GM resolves the route and consequences in the game; the timer provides pace and a common visual cue rather than recording a combat result.
What you keep
A shared decision clock
A visible title, remaining time, stage, and completion cue for the controller and its same-profile display tab.
Reusable local settings
Saved timer and presentation preferences that can be checked, reset, or restored before another run.
A return to normal play
An ended or cancelled time window with the GM retaining control of the fictional result; this is not a campaign event log.
How it fits with the other apps
Common questions
Does Emergency Stop stop the countdown?
No. Emergency Stop All Effects addresses sound, motion, and an optional configured controller. The clock continues. Use Pause to preserve the remainder or Cancel to end the countdown if the interruption should also stop time.
Can I control a separate television browser over the network?
The current implementation synchronises tabs through local browser storage and messaging in the same origin and browser profile. Use that arrangement for the controller and display. A separate device does not share those channels; a network service is planned rather than part of the current setup.
Usage guide based on the 7 October 2026 project summary, reviewed 8 October 2026. Examples illustrate possible games. Some connected features require sign-in, GM permissions, or a configured local table.